Upright vacuum cleaner



y 13, 1965 s. A. FINDLEY ETAL 3,193,992

UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1962 W /e R S 2 HMM M w /A 4 a a /w y W a X .11 1 \NNN m W JI M v W\ UH. \k N\ a N. w. 3w M! \k m .rl, @N 3v m i 1 i i .v w a Q Hr July 13, 1965 s. A. FINDLEYETAL UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1962INVENTOR. f/f/Vflfi 4 7/4 0117 ATTO NEYS July 13, 1965 s. A. FlNDLEYETAL 3, 3,

UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER 4 Filed Dec. 20, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E25 6 anINVENTOR. Jar/W12 ,4. mozzv A TTORNE United States Patent 3,193,992UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER Samuel A. Findley and Robert B. Meyer, Bronson,Mich, assignors to Kingston Products Corporation, Kokomo, Ind., acorporation of Indiana Filed Dec. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 246,041 3 Claims.(Cl. 55-367) This invention relates generally to vacuum cleanerassemblies and more particularly to an upright vacuum cleaner having arigid casing of lightweight impact-resisting plastic with an adjustablehandle means by means of which the length of the unit can be selectivelyvaried and including improved bag-retaining means for quickly andconveniently changing throw-away dirt separator bags associated with thecleaner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedinlet end assembly wherein an inlet tube is supported concentricallyinwardly of a thin shell by means of radial ribs.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an inletend assembly for an upright vacuum cleaner wherein a thin shell ribbedreinforced casing member has an inlet tube extending therethrough andwherein an annular recess is formed between the ribs and a collar on theend of the tube by means of which a dirtseparating bag may be snappedover the inlet tube and into engagement with the recess.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the presentinvention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon makingreference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanyingsheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of anupright vacuum cleaner embodying the improvements of the presentinvention are shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an upright vacuum cleanerincorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts broken away and withparts shown in cross-section illustrating additional details ofconstruction of the handle assembly incorporated in the vacuum cleanerof FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a broken elevational view of the cord retaining strap;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view with parts shown inelevation and with parts broken away illustrating additional details ofconstruction of the rear casing or upper housing of the casing means;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a subassembly of the inletend assembly and the main housing of the casing;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on line VIVI of FIG- URE 1 and with thedirt-separating bag removed therefrom to illustrate additional detailsof construction of the inlet end assembly;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line VII-VII ofFIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is an end elevational view of a dirt-separating bag providedfor the cleaner of FIGURES 1-7.

As shown on the drawings:

An upright vacuum cleaner incorporating the principles of the presentinvention is shown generally at 10* and includes a floor tool assemblyshown generally at 11, an inlet end assembly shown generally at 12, amain housing shown generally at 13, an upper housing assembly shown at14 and a handle assembly shown generally at 16.

Referring, first of all, to the handle assembly 16, an elongated hollowhandle 17 is provided which may take the form of a sheet metal tubehaving a hollow interior ice erally cylindrical sleeve which terminatesin a boss 27 recessed as at 28 to receive and seat the edges 29 of anopening formed in the walls of the handle 17. Thus, the conductor cord23 is protected against bending and flexure at the point of entry intothehollow interior of the handle 17. The wires from the cord 23 may beconnected with the wires from the switch 20 by means of quick connectingmeans 30 located within the interior of the handle 17 At the extreme endof the handle 17, there is provided a handle grip shown generally at 31.The handle 31 comprises a sleeve made of plastic material which includesa reduced end portion 32 which snugly engages the handle 17 and concealssuch parts as the connectors .22 and further includes a shaped portion33 which is formed" to conform to the hand of an opeartor. An opening 34is formed in the sleeve as at 34, thereby to permit the actuator button21 to extend into a manually accessible position directly adajcent thehandle grip portion 31.

The handle grip 31 is particularly characterized by the formation of anopening 36 which is adapted to engage with a hook and by means of whichthe entire cleaner 10 may be suspended for storage purposes, forexample, on a clothes hook in a closet.

In order to retain the appliance cord 23 for storage purposes, theupright cleaner 10 of the present invention.

is provided with an improved cord retaining means which takes the formof a strap 40 made of a flexible material such as a flexible plastic.The cord-retaining strap 40. is a strip form member having on one endthereof an enlarged boss 41 which is recessed as at 42 in order toreceive the edges of an opening formed in the walls of the handle 17 Theboss 41 has a portion disposed on the outside of the handle 17 which isshown at 43 and which is particularly characterized by an outwardlyprojecting button having a shank portion 44 and an enlarged head 46.

At the opposite end of the strap 40 there is provided a reinforcedportion 47 in which is formed a keyhole opening having an enlargedcircular aperture 48 and a reduced slot 49 extending out of one Sidethereof. The aperture 48 is sized to receive the head portion 46 of thebutton and the shank 44 is received in the slot 49 so that the strap 40may be looped through the coils of the conductor wire 23, as shown inFIGURE 1, and the double backed end forms a closed loop by inserting thebutton with the head 46 extending through the aperture 48, the strapbeing moved in locked-closed position by moving the shank 44 into theslot 49.

The upper housing '14 has an enlarged end 50 which merges with the mainhousing 13 as at 51 and is fastened in firm assembly therewith by meansof fastening means shown at 52. The upper housing then tapers as at 53to a smaller configuration and the tapered portion 53- is characterizedby the formation therein of a plurality of slots 54 (FIGURE 1)constituting air outlets through which clean air is discharged by amotor fan unit shown generally at 56.

The upper housing 14 has a boss 57 formed therein recessed as at 58 inorder to receive and seat one end of the motor fan unit as at 59. At thesmallest end of the upper housing unit 14, there is formed an elongatedneck 60 having an opening 61 in which is telescopically received acoupling end 62 of the handle 17. The coupling end 62 is characterizedby'the formation therein of plural embossed openings 63- adapted to beplaced selectiveregister with openings64 each'receiving a screw fastener66. Thus, by extending the handle 17 with the coupling portion 62positioned either all the way into the opening 61 or partially out ofthe opening 61, the effective spacing dimension between the handle grip31 and the floor tool assembly 11 may be selectively varied. Wheneverthe proper length desired by the operator is obtained, a correspondingset of embossed apertures 63 are placed in regisopening prescribed bythe inner edges of the partition 68. isclosed by a permanent filter 70held in place by a snap' ring71 engaged behind an edge of the partition68, thereby separatingthe motor fan unit'56 from a dirt-separatingcompartment 72 formed in 'themain housing 13.

The main housing 13 is particularly characterized by a thin shell wall73 having a plurality of circumferentially.

spaced radially inwardly extending strengthening ribs 74 which lendrigidity to the wall construction. v

' At the end of the main housing 13 there is formed a pair of locatingbosses 76'each recessed to receive and seat an axially projectinglocating lug 77 extending axially from a pair of bosses .78 formed onthe inlet end assembly 12.

- tube 84.

The collar member 91 also has a radially inwardly extending flange 98which overlies the inner end 87 of the inlet tube 84 and which hasformed on the axially innermost surface thereof a radial valve seatingsurface 99 which circumscribes :the inlet provided by the inlet I Thevalve surface 99 is particularlycharacterized by the formation on oneside thereof of three axially projecting lugs orrbuttons 100 which serveto retain a disk of elastic material such as rubber, thereby to form aflapper-type check valve 101.

,Preferably, the rubber disk 101 is suitably apertured and placed on thebuttons 100 whereupon a thin retainer plate 102 made ofa rigid'materialsuch as metal is placed overlthe buttons and (the buttons are thenheaded or flattened as at 103 to place the flapper-type check valve 101in firmassembly with the collar 91.

The valve 101 is an ordinary diskof rubber-or a-sini-.

V ilar' elastic material and is selected to be. of'a size large enoughto overlie the edges of a centralopening106 in the collar ,91, therebyto develop a valving function on the valve surface or valve seat 99. Theface of the rubthrough the inlet tube a dirt-separating bag. isprovided.

The"detent co operation betweenthe bosses 76 and 78 serves not only'toproperly align the housing parts but also to retain the same againstangular'shifting. Thus, both housing parts can be locked together byappropriate toggle latches shown at 80' (FIGURE 1),

Theinlet end assembly 12 is particularly characterized by a thin shellwall 81 which tapers progressively inwardly towards an end wall 82 andwhich. is characterized by' formation therein of a boss 83 forming agenerally cylin-z ber disk: is characterized'by a central strengtheningrib 107 which servesto somewhat rigidity the disk 101 and which. alsofunctions to urge the disk towards a normally closed. position, yetpermitting the'disktoyield' in re-v sponse to the flow of dirt-laden airthrough the inlet tube. In orderto separate dirt from a stream of airdirected shown generally at100 and consisting of a pouch-shapedcontainer or gusseted bag 101 made of a' porous material suchas paper,-the mouth ofwhieh is connected as by I stitching at 102 to astificardboard disk 103 sized to conformito the shape prescribed by theradial plane 89 and having a central opening formed therein as at 104which is larger than the shoulder 96 on the flange 94, thereby to freelypass thereover.

Adhesively secured to one face of the cardboard disk "102 is a sheetform elastic means such as a sheet of drical inlet tube 84 which isspaced concentrically inwardly of the wall '81 and which extends axiallyto provide an outwardly projecting portion 86 and an inwardly projectingportion 87 extending intothe interior of the housing. In order tomaintain the wall 81 of optimum thinness,

but yet to retain the strength advantages of high impactresistance,there is formed a plurality of ribs which arecircumferentially spaced and which extend radially inwardly as at 88.Theribs 88 engagingly support the cylindrical tube 84. terized by aradially extending portion 89 spaced axially inwardly. of the end 87 ofthe tube 84. All of the edges 89 of the respective ribs 88 are disposedin coplanar relation and together with one another form spaced supportpoints on a common plane. a r r i A metal tube 90 is fastened in firmassembly in the inlet tube'84,rfor example, by means of an adhesive suchas an epoxy resin, or some other suitable fastening means and the floortool assembly 11 which may be of any desired configuration is thenswivably connected to the metal tube which bottoms against the surfaces89 of the ribs 88..

There is also formed on the collar 91 a radially outwardly projectingflange 94, thereby forming a radial shoulder 96 which is spaced axiallyfrom the surfaces 89 in order to form an annular recess97.

Each rib 88 is particularly charac-u rubber 105. The rubbersheet 105 isprovided with a central opening 106 smaller than the shoulder 96 so thatthe elastic means wil snap into the annular recess 97,

therebyto seal the bag 100 on the inlet tube and also retain the baginassembly with the inlet tube. 7

' It will be noted from examining the assembly arrangement illustratedin FIGURE 5, that the flapper-type check valve 101 actually. opens upwithin the interior of the dirt-separating bag-100 and when closedprevents dirt from re-entering the inlet tube 90.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in theart, it should be understood and we wish to embody within the scope ofthe patentwarranted hereon all such modifications, as reasonably andproperly come within the scope of our contribution to the art. 1

j We claim as our invention:

1.' In an upright vacuum cleaner, a casing having an inlet end assemblycomprising a cup-shaped member made offplastic and having a thinperipheral wall taperingtowards one end,

said one end having a generally cylindrical inlet tube Jextendingaxially therethrough concentrically inwardly of said wall, a and pluralcircumferentially spaced ribs extending radially inwardly from saidperipheral wall and engaging said inlet tube, a a each rib on the sidefacing the other end of said inlet endassembly including a radiallyextending portion axially inwardly of one end of said tube and togetherwith .one another forming spaced parts on a common radial plane, and acollar on said one endof said tube forming a radially outwardlyextending circumferentially con.- tinuous annular shoulder spacedaxially from said plane, thereby to'form an annular recess inwardly ofthe end of Said inlet tube,

and a dirt-separating bag having elastic sheet form means forming aninlet opening of lesser diameter than said shoulder,

and a stiif disk carrying said elastic sheet form means and sized toconform to the shape prescribed by said plane, and having an openinglarger than said annular shoulder,

said elastic sheet form means snapping on said collar into said recesswhen said disk is engaged against said ribs.

2. In an upright vacuum cleaner as defined in claim '1,

said collar having a radial valve seat at said one end of said inlettube and a rubber disc on said seat forming a flapper-type check valveto control the flow of dirt-laden air into said bag.

3. In an upright vacuum cleaner as defned in claim 1,

said collar being made of plastic and being integrated with said tube,said collar having axially projecting retainer lugs extending throughapertures formed in one side of said flapper valve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,219,756 3/17Meredith-Jones 55-377 9/25 Arthur 248-407 2/26 Laganke 15-250.35 7/31Paine 55-377 3/32 Finnell 15-320 X 11/33 Riebel et al. 15-410 4/44 Vose15-344 10/44 Nuffer et al. 15-344 8/45 Trafton 24-16 3/49 Kelly.

1/53 Kelly et al. 14-344 X 10/53 Flora 24-16 5/55 Kelly et al. 15-3447/59 Hershberger et al. 248-71 5/62 Smith 15-412 X 3/63 Yonkers et al.15-344 X 5/ 63 Orenick et al. 248-71 FOREIGN PATENTS 9/ 57 Australia.

3/59 France.

2/61 France.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

1. IN AN UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER, A CASING HAVING AN INLET END ASSEMBLYCOMPRISING A CUP-SHAPED MEMBER MADE OF PLASTIC AND HAVING A THINPERIPHERAL WALL TAPERING TOWARDS ONE END, SAID ONE END HAVING AGENERALLY CYLINDRICAL INLET TUBE EXTENDING AXIALLY THERETHROUGHCONCENTRICALLY INWARDLY OF SAID WALL, AND PLURAL CIRCUMFERENTIALLYSPACED RIBS EXTENDING RADIALLY INWARDLY FROM SAID PERIPHERAL WALL ANDENGAGING SAID INLET TUBE, EACH RIB ON THE SIDE FACING THE OTHER END OFSAID INLET END ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A RADIALLY EXTENDING PORTION AXIALLYINWARDLY OF ONE END OF SAID TUBE AND TOGETHER WITH ONE ANOTHER FORMINGSPACED PARTS ON A COMMON RADIAL PLANE, AND A COLLAR ON SAID ONE END OFSAID TUBE FORMING A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLYCONTINUOUS ANNULAR SHOULDER SPACED AXIALLY FROM SAID PLANE, THEREBY TOFORM AN ANNULAR RECESS INWARDLY OF THE END OF SAID INLET TUBE, AND ADIRT-SEPARATING BAG HAVING ELASTIC SHEET FORM MEANS FORMING AN INLETOPENING OF LESSER DIAMETER THAN SAID SHOULDER, AND A STIFF DISK CARRYINGSAID ELASTIC SHEET FORM MEANS AND SIZED TO CONFORM TO THE SHAPEPRESCRIBED BY SAID PLANE, AND HAVING AN OPENING LARGER THAN SAID ANNULARSHOULDER, SAID ELASTIC SHEET FORM MEANS SNAPPING ON SAID COLLAR INTOSAID RECESS WHEN SAID DISK IS ENGAGED AGAINST SAID RIBS.